The Complicated Story of a Student Hacker

I’ve argued that the story of students who hack their own schools is complicated, including that charging them under federal law as criminal hackers may be inappropriate or even unjust in some cases. The latest episode of Darknet Diaries offers a first-hand account of one such instance, featuring ‘Finn,’ the student in question, and his mother.

The story that Finn relates, while not safe for work (NSFW) listening, is riveting. It highlights poor school cybersecurity practices, how the school and the student’s family reacted to the hacking incident, and – in some detail and in his own words – what Finn did and why.